Questions posted in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Question Title: Follow up to Visual Disturbances

Forum: Neurology Forum
Topic: Neurology - General

Re: Follow up to Visual Disturbances

Re: Follow up to Visual Disturbances



Posted by CCF Neuro MD *!* on December 02, 1997 at 19:46:09:

In Reply to: Follow up to Visual Disturbances posted by Craig Barlow on December 02, 1997 at 17:51:43:

: I contacted you in October with regard to an 18 month problem I have been experiencing with visual disturbances in the form of thousands of (apparently) moving objects in my whole field of vision - they look like thousands of little worms wriggling around at great speed and are illuminated in trhe daytime - appearing shadowy at night.
They have not gone away since they started and are gradually getting more disabling.
As explained in my previous message, I have undergone many tests - all coming up negative.
My question at this stage after carrying out more research is:
Is it possible for a parasitic infection to cause this type of problem? I certainly feel as though I am looking at thousands of micro-organisms which are alive rather than some optical of neurological effect caused by some other disease.
A strange question, but I would appreciate your opinion as nobody else seems to be able to help.


Thanks for your time.



Craig.



I am sorry that you have had no success with your work-up so far and would
strongly advise you to continue to seek help until you recieve a
satisfactory explaination at the very least.
As regards the possibility of a parasitic infection, this is an obvious
impression given the sort of visual phenomenom that you are having,however
this explanation does not take into account how the body, especially the
eye reacts to any infection, and in particular a parasitic infection.
You have no doubt seen how the eye reacts to a trivial foreign body or
a simple conjunctivitis (red eye), with extreme soreness, redness and
swelling. If you had an active parasitic infection of your eye you would
be in no doubt about it. The entire eye would be red and bloodshot
closed by massive swelling and you would have extreme pain.
An ongoing infection for several weeks would have at this stage spread
to adjacent tissues causing meningitis and generalised sickness.
while I do not have sufficient information to give you a definitive
answer I can at least reassure you that it is not due to a
parasitic infection.

This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.
Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options of your
specific medical condition.





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